There will be anxious glances, perhaps a few sniffly tears,
that gnawing feeling of being alone away from the security of home, the fears
that you are now no longer looking after your rosy cheeked bundle of joy...and
that is only the parents when they drop their child off for their first day at
pre school or nursery! Thankfully most children are far more resilient and
cannot wait to get through the doors and playing with the myriad of
opportunities that await them inside!
Some children, naturally enough, will experience a few
teething troubles at nursery, but the good news is that you, as their parent or
guardian, can help your child overcome these problems, or perhaps even avoid
them entirely, simply by preparing them for their first day at nursery. In
addition to resolving any issues, you can ensure that not only is your child ready
to tackle their first day in nursery, but with a little bit of planning and
forethought on your behalf, that they positively thrive in this new and
exciting environment!
Listed below are some of the best tips that will help your
child begin nursery as positively as possible and will prepare them for the
days ahead without you. By grounding your child before they start nursery in
these key skills, you will be setting them up for the best possible start to
their new life at playgroup, pre school or nursery.
TIPS TO EMPOWER YOUR CHILD AT NURSERY ON THEIR FIRST DAY
1. TAKE YOUR CHILD FOR A VISIT BEFORE THEY START –
Outstandingly simple isn’t it? The biggest worry for many young children is
that something is “new”. By taking your child with you on a visit, allowing
them to see other happy children playing and interacting with toys that
previously they may not have seen or played with, will imbue your child with a
sense of curiosity. Even the clingiest child will, at some point, give in to
this pre-disposition to investigate and enquire.
2. CHAT TO THE STAFF WHO WILL BE INTERACTING WITH YOUR CHILD
– While your child is happily playing on their visit, speak with the staff.
Tell them about your child in as much detail as you can. Tell them what your
child likes or dislikes. What food they like, if they have a sleep during the
day, whether they are potty trained or not. By giving the staff this
information they are going to be much more effective in helping your child
settle in when you are not there.
3. BE POSITIVE ABOUT THE WHOLE EXPERIENCE – Always talk
about nursery in positive terms to your child. Make it sound exciting, vibrant,
energetic and fun filled. Smile a lot when you talk about it and use expansive
gestures to show how wonderful nursery will be for them. Reading a book about
nursery to them before bed is a good idea, as is taking time to walk past a
nursery on a walk and point out the children having fun and doing exciting
things. The most difficult time to remain positive is when you have to leave
your child on the first day. It is important here to remember that the more you
keep running back, or show signs of distress yourself, then the more your child
will mirror your feelings. You must overcome your clinginess at this point! The
child will overcome theirs a few moments after you have walked out of the door!
When you leave, smile and be positive and your child will do exactly the same.
4. DRESS THEM IN SIMPLE TO WEAR CLOTHES – Too many zips and
buttons, laces on shoes, tights can be a real problem for children, especially
those who are recently toilet trained. A child likes their independence, so
give them every chance to enjoy this new found freedom by dressing them in
clothes that are easy for them to handle and put on themselves with the minimum
of assistance.
5. SPEAK WITH OTHER PARENTS – You are likely to see other
parents at least twice a day when you take and fetch your child from nursery.
Chat to parents and make new friends, particularly with the parents of children
whom your child is friends with. This way bonds that are created in school can
lead to children becoming friends out of school too, increasing their social
skills and creating friendships that will last throughout school and beyond.
These five tips are great starting pointers for the very
first day and beyond, they will help socialise your child and allow for an easy
integration into nursery. However there is more you can do as a parent to help
them begin nursery well that will not only help them on their first day, but
will give them good habits and a head start in school life that is becoming
increasingly important in modern times. Namely :
1. READ WITH YOUR CHILD OFTEN – Children learn through
repetition and mimicry at a young age. Reading with your child, allowing them
to complete sentences, identifying letters, then small words is a life skill
that cannot, I stress, cannot be undervalued. Many children nowadays start
nursery, or even reception, without the basic skills needed for reading or
never even having picked up a book. Just a few minutes each day spent with a
child on this skill can make a lifetimes difference. It will develop their
abilities and language skills immeasurably. Books should be part of a child’s
life from the moment they are born. Any child who picks up their first book on
their first day at nursery is already facing an uphill struggle to catch up.
2. ALLOW YOUR CHILD TO SOCIALISE – It is important for pre
school, pre nursery age children to socialise, perhaps in a playgroup or in any
other informal setting. The more a child socialises with other children, then
they quickly learn the norms of behaviour, such as sharing, working together
and independently, how to communicate with each other effectively, how to
behave appropriately and what is inappropriate behaviour. The more a child
interacts with their peers at a younger age, the better they will understand
the rules of a structure pre school or nursery school.
3. ENCOURAGE YOUR CHILD TO BE INDEPENDENT – There is an
increasing trend these days to do everything for our children. While they are a
baby, this is natural, however as they get older and develop their own skills,
they need to be encouraged to do things for themselves. This ranges from the
simplest of tasks, such as choosing a book, to using the toilet, getting
dressed themselves and being able to play independently.
These three skills will ensure that on the day your child
starts nursery, the only tears will be when they have to go home with you at
the end of the day and can’t stay and play for longer with their new friends!
These three skills will ensure that on the day your child starts nursery, the only tears will be when they have to go home with you at the end of the day and can’t stay and play for longer with their new friends!
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